


The Professor

by sweetrupturedlight



Category: Dominion (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, real person fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-02
Updated: 2014-09-11
Packaged: 2018-02-15 21:49:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2244576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetrupturedlight/pseuds/sweetrupturedlight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Not really Dominion related, but inspired by a twitter conversation in which @Prof_SueF, @KimSpores, @janaeoll and I imagine Tom Wisdom (Archangel Michael from Dominion) as a University Professor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Professor

**Author's Note:**

> Sort of a Real Person Fic, The Professor is based on the characteristics and nature of Tom Wisdom. Written purely for fangirl fun. 
> 
> May I Feel Said He is a poem by EE Cummings

_The Professor_

Jana, Sue and Naz filed into the large lecture hall, clamouring to get into the front row.

"Hey! Watch it!" Kim protested as Jana elbowed her, a fellow student, out of the way.

"Suck it!" she muttered as she pushed past, hastening her pace to the front row of seats.

"Jana! Decorum."

"No time Naz, you know these seats are in demand." Rushing into the front row, she moved up three seats and landed into her own with a relieved sigh. "Yassssss," she squealed, a satisfied smirk on her face.

Naz followed, sitting down with a smidgen more self-control. Sue however, sat down quietly, diligently removing her note-pad and pencil.

"Seriously?" Jana side-eyed her.

"I actually enjoy this class you know."

"Riiiight," Naz said.

"I do!" Sue insisted, then smiled. "Well… among other things like those tight bun-"

"Shhhhh!" Jana hissed. "Shows about to start."

Naz and Sue knew what she referred to. The packed hall went silent as Professor Tom Wisdom entered the lecture hall. The usual raucous died down as breathy sighs and stifled giggles took its place.

This class was popular. Not because of the subject matter - although 20th century poetry had its moments - but because of the Professor. He was, as Jana, Naz and Sue liked referring to him, _a hot piece of academic ass_. This statement was usually accompanied by, _just… damn_.

"Good afternoon," the Professor said, all business. He was _always_ all business. He invited no personal talk and made no effort to get to know any of his students. In fact, they were all referred to by their last names, usually with mild ridicule. But his sass only intensified their innocuous adoration.

As he passed them on his way to his desk, their eyes fixed on his behind. “Truly the best seats in the house,” Jana breathed to her companions and sent a silent hallelujah to the heavens at the way his pants moulded to his-

The Professor's terse, "E E Cummings. Page 164," interrupted her sinful musings.

“To the point, I see.” Sue, her eyes still fixed on the Professor, began paging blindly. Both Naz and Jana made very little effort to move.

“Like every day,” Jana croaked, her eyes fixed on his broad shoulders as he wiped the blackboard clean. His shoulder blades moved attractively as his arms worked. It felt as though the room collectively gulped.

"Oi! You lot, focus!" Professor Wisdom snapped to the class in general when it became apparent that very few had heeded his instruction. Sue’s book crashed to the floor in her haste to acquiesce to his request, her eyes surreptitiously appreciating the view.

Professor Tom Wisdom was the youngest lecturer at the University. Although not confirmed, rumour had it that someone had blackmailed one of the Administration Clerks to check out his personnel file. His age was therefore reported to be at about 40 and he was very much single. He was tall and lithe; his body clearly muscled beneath his usual button down shirts and those pants that fit… _just_ _right_.

“Oh dear god, he’s wearing the blue button down again,” Naz whispered, her fingers fumbling over the pages of the poetry book. He had removed his jacket, stowing it neatly behind his seat, exposing his shirt with the top few buttons undone. It provided a tantalising view of skin.

"Strip tease!" Jana hissed. All three women bit their lip involuntarily. 

“Right, Ms Eoll, read the title of the poem please.”

Jana only gawked. Professor Wisdom arched one perfect brow, his sometimes blue/green/grey eyes unblinking and serious behind dark rimmed spectacles.

“Jana!” Sue whispered, clearly embarrassed for her friend. Naz nudged Jana in the ribs.

“Ow!” she exclaimed. But it seemed to bring her back to reality.

“The poem. On the page.” His eyes flicked down towards the book in front of her, and then back up, his British accent crisp. At that very moment, his tone was also slightly condescending. Truth be told, it only made him more attractive. That was usually when his accent became downright sexy.

Professor Wisdom perched on the corner of his desk, righted his spectacles and peered at Jana, waiting as she scrambled for the correct page.

“Urm…" she began, clearing her throat. " _May I feel said he_ ,” Jana squeaked.

“Correct… even if it took you a while.” In a fluid motion that left them in awe of his economical movement, the class was spellbound as he began pacing back and forth, a wooden ruler tapping across his palm every now and again when he made a particular point.

“Oh my god this poem is about sex!” Jana hissed to Naz who was closest.

“I know! I can’t deal. Why is this my life?”

“E E Cummings. Who can tell the class more about the man?”

Sue’s hand shot up and Jana rolled her eyes. “Teacher’s pet!”

Sue launched into an explanation about Cummings and his works. Both Jana and Naz paid little attention because the Professor was rolling up his sleeves, exposing lightly corded muscle, before resuming his perch on the side of his desk. With his arms braced on the table beside him, the muscles in his forearms flexed and the buttons on the slightly too-tight shirt pulled enticingly.

Jana might have whimpered. “I can’t believe the poet’s last name is _Cummings_ … considering the subject at hand.”

Behind him, the afternoon sun filtered into the room, illuminating the attractive grey peppered throughout his hair. With his greying hair and blue shirt combination, his eyes appeared a piercing blue.

“This is torture. He’s a god. Help!” Naz replied.

Those eyes, their shrewd intelligence highlighted behind those damned sexy spectacles found a victim at the back of the room.

“Miss Spores, please read the first poem to the class.”

Kim, the English major Jana had bumped into earlier sat three rows back. She began reading; a quick peak at her proved her cheeks were a little flushed.

 

 

> _may I feel said he_
> 
> _(I’ll squeal said she_
> 
> _just once said he)_
> 
> _it's fun said she_
> 
> _(may I touch said he_
> 
> _how much said she_
> 
> _a lot said he)_
> 
> _why not said she_
> 
> _(let's go said he_
> 
> _not too far said she_
> 
> _what's too far said he_
> 
> _where you are said she)_
> 
> _may I stay said he_
> 
> _(which way said she_
> 
> _like this said he_
> 
> _if you kiss said she_
> 
> _may I move said he_
> 
> _is it love said she)_
> 
> _if you're willing said he_
> 
> _(but you're killing said she_
> 
> _but it's life said he_
> 
> _but your wife said she_
> 
> _now said he)_
> 
> _ow said she_
> 
> _(tiptop said he_
> 
> _don't stop said she_
> 
> _oh no said he)_
> 
> _go slow said she_
> 
> _(cccome? said he_
> 
> _ummm said she)_
> 
> _you're divine! said he_
> 
> _(you are Mine said she)_

 

"This is practically porn!" Jana said.

He was pacing again. “The title itself evokes certain thoughts in most people's minds, and as the poem is read out loud, it reinforces the first impression of what the poem is about.”

“I can’t cope with the way his pants are-” Naz was cut off when those eyes found her.

“And what do _you_ think it’s about?”

She squirmed in her seat. “Sex?”

A scandalised giggle ripped across the room, releasing the tension everyone felt. The arched brow was back, his lips pressed together. He might have been amused. _Might have._ But no one was sure.

“An affair,” Kim ventured, her own brows raised as a challenge, a flirtatious smirk across her face.

“Indeed Miss Spores. Cummings' poetry often deals with themes of love and nature, as well as the relationship of the individual to the masses and to the world. His poems are also often rife with satire.”

Professor Wisdom continued his lecture, scrawling across the blackboard. At one point, he cracked the wooden ruler across his desk to emphasise his meaning and all three women jumped.

“ARGH, HE COULD WIELD THAT WEAPON ON ME,” Jana wrote onto her notepad and angled it towards her friends.

“LIKE A WHIP,” Naz added.

“IT CERTAINLY CRACKED ACROSS THAT DESK LIKE A WHIP!” Sue wrote, encircling the word whip with a heart.

“SUCH SKILL.”

“SPANK ME.”

“DAMMIT FOCUS!”

“YOU KNOW YOU WANT HIM TO, SUE.”

“THOSE LIPS THOUGH. I COULD SUC-”

Sue never finished her note because the Professor spoke, “That will be all for this week. Your papers are due on Friday. Do not disappoint me.”

Outside, Jana asked, “Why do I always leave his class feeling so unsatisfied?”

“He leaves us wanting more,” Naz said with a sigh, her cheeks still flushed.

“He’s a tease,” Sue interjected.

Jana rolled her eyes. “Come on, lets get something cool to drink.”

“Are you kidding?” Naz replied. “We need to be dunked in a damned ice box. That’s what its going to take to cool me down.”

“Until next week…” Sue said and the three friends burst out laughing. "We love the torture don't we?"

"You bet!" Jana said with a wink. "Is it next week yet?"


	2. The Lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: for the absolutely spectacular women on twitter. you know who you are #FangirlSchoolForever

_The Lesson_

"Jana, Whyyy are you dragging me to this?"

"It's for a good cause! Look alive!"

Naz huffed out loudly as she was tugged by the hand. Jana, speed walking – the only way she usually moved – hauled her along to the pool. Sue was keeping pace, although she was more philanthropic by nature and had instantly agreed to taking lessons at the local swimming club on campus. It was a five week programme and the proceeds from the enrollment fees were all going to charitable pursuits.

"I already know how to swim!" Naz continued.

"We all do," Sue interjected with her usual levelheaded calm. "That's not the point. It's about partaking in events, the spirit of giving back-"

"I paid the money!"

"Oh shut it, Naz," Jana said, no bite in her words. A large, slow grin spread across her face. "Besides, I have a surprise for you – for both of you."

They entered the pool area and deposited their belongings on the benches. The place was packed. Sue and Naz both groaned.

"Dammit Jana, you know I hate your surprises."

"We," Sue clarified. " _We_ hate your surprises."

"Wow, you'd think it was happy hour by the number of bodies here," Jana commented as she looked around, ignoring both their comments. "Makes sense though," she said with a wicked grin.

"How?" Naz asked, shimmying out of her pants. She already had her swimming costume on beneath. "When the swim team goes up against their biggest competition they can't draw a third of this crowd."

There were students in the stands around the swimming area, packed in like sardines – all female by the looks of it. Like them, there were a select few who where already in their bathing costumes ready for instruction.

"Are all these people watching us take lessons?" Sue sounded a little nervous. "This might guarantee I do something silly… like drown."

Jana rolled her eyes. "You know how to swim. Besides, there was only space for twenty. The things I had to do to get us signed up," Jana mused then turned to face her friends. "You're wearing _that_?" she asked first Sue, then Naz, frowning at both of them.

"Its our bathing suits. You've seen it before." They both wore their standard one-piece black swimming costumes.

"I told you both to wear something… you know… sexy!" Jana hissed.

"This is a charitable event on campus! We're not on Laguna beach! Why the hell would I want to look sexy?!" Naz hissed back. Sue however, used to Jana's hijinks, calmly sat down in her black costume and began applying her sunscreen.

A ripple of excitement rushed through the crowd and Jana whipped around. Down below, someone had arrived.

"Oh dear God," Naz stuttered. "What's Professor Wisdom doing here? Don't tell me he's enrolled too?" Sue, sunscreen forgotten as she bounced to her feet, her hand practically branding Jana's arm with its vicelike grip.

"Come on girls," Jana called, already moving towards the pool area. "The swim coach has arrived."

"WHAT?" Naz and Sue's combined shriek echoed around the entire area and Professor Wisdom looked up, his brow already raised with disapproval.

"Sorry," Naz mouthed silently in his direction. His expression did not change. "How is this a thing?" she whispered as she took off after Jana. It now made sense why her friend was dressed in a bright pink bikini.

"Surprise! Isn't this delicious?"

"Delicious?!" Sue and Naz shrieked again. This time however, it was in a softer tone – but barely.

They lined up beside the pool and Jana whispered to them, all excitement. "The Professor had been a pro swimmer in his former years and as all faculty members had to choose a charitable activity to sponsor, he chose to coach swimming."

"And you thought it was a great idea to have him coach us?" Sue squeaked. "Did it occur to you that I would rather watch?!"

Naz rolled her eyes. "What happened to partaking in events and the spirit of giving back?"

"Shut it Naz," Sue said. At that, all three women began giggling.

"Oi, you three!" They swallowed their giggles and straightened their spines. Professor Wisdom was looking directly at them. Dressed in red shorts and a white, fitted t-shirt, he looked more Baywatch Babe than Poetry Professor. Both turned out to be a heady combination.

"Yes, Professor?" Jana queried.

"We're here to learn. This is not an opportunity to catch up on erroneous gossip. Understood?"

"Perfectly," Sue piped up before anyone else could respond.

"Pet," Jana growled.

"Right, in the pool everyone."

"I now understand why the bleachers are filled and why they are all with women!" Naz said as she slipped into the water. "Oh! That's cold."

"I see Kim made the cut too," Sue said as she slipped in beside them, bobbing up and down to generate heat. In the skimpiest costume known to man, the English major elegantly jumped into the pool.

"How did she manage to not make even the teeniest splash?"

"She's clearly not a clutz!"

"Hussy!" Naz whispered, outraged.

Jana looked over at Naz with a frown. "What?"

"Kim! Look at her! She's… she's…"

"…looking hot in an actual bathing costume? Which is why I warned you to wear something sexy! Instead… you're all fraulein maria!"

"Urm guys, you might want to pay attention to what's happening…" Sue said. Naz and Jana turned and lost all train of lucid thought. Professor Wisdom was removing his white t-shirt, his arms crossing his front as he swiftly removed the garment. If anyone was looking at them, they might have noticed that their lips were moving, much like a fish would do when deprived of oxygen. But no one was looking. All eyes were focused on Professor Wisdom. His build was lean but muscular, his shoulders broad as his waist tapered to narrow hips. His abdominal muscles were lightly defined, his chest hairless.

"I think I swallowed my tongue," Naz garbled out unintelligibly.

"You're still speaking," Sue said distractedly. "Your tongue's still in there."

"How in the blazing hell does a poetry Professor get abs like that? I could bake my eggs on them, they're so hot!" Jana growled low.

"I can't watch!" Jana and Naz quickly looked over at Sue. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her lips between her teeth. She looked in the grips of some kind of rapturous pain. When they turned back, they realized why. Their eyes widened as they watched him apply liberal amounts of sunscreen to his torso, his neck, his arms and finally, he bent to apply some to his legs. At this point, the temperature in the pool had likely spiked because of their collective body heat.

"Is this happening in slo mo for anyone else?" Jana whispered. "Because it's happening in slo mo for me…"

"Need some help Professor?" The shout came from an anonymous in the crowd and broke the spell. Professor Wisdom continued as if he hadn't heard a thing. He bent down and retrieved his towel and a pair of aviators.

"Jesus fuc-"

"Jana!"

"He's wearing aviators. His hot-o-meter just shot into frikken infinity. A Goddddd," she hissed. "The man is a God with the geek chic Professor specs-" she used her hands and gesticulated towards her face wildly, "and now Baywatch Babe with aviators. Does he not have a care for my damned ovaries?"

"Clearly not," said Naz, swallowing hard, her tone droll. "My ovaries no longer exist. They exploded the minute he removed his t-shirt and I discovered his chest was hairless."

"Everyone line up please. Along the side of the pool." His voice carried, his accent more pronounced as he coolly surveyed the eager-to-please queue of mostly bikini-clad students. "I'm assuming you all already know how to swim as that was one of the criteria to be selected for this programme." He raised a brow, daring anyone to admit they didn't know how to swim. No one dared. "Right, with your hands lightly holding onto the side, straighten out and kick. I aim to observe your form."

"By form he means-"

"Technique," Sue said as she lined up beside Jana.

"Just checking."

For the next few minutes they all attended to the business of straightening their arms, their backs, kicking gently ( _not like a horse about to gallop into bloody battle_ , according to one of the Professor's instructions) and practicing the correct breathing technique. When they finally straightened, Professor Wisdom removed the towel from around his neck and snapped it open, the sound echoing across the area as he lay it across the warm tiles to heat.

"Is he getting into the water now?" Sue asked. She was pinching her eyes closed again. "I don't think that would be legal."

"Did you _see_ that wrist action?" Naz mused, her eyes narrowed with concentration.

"Yasssss," Jana's hissing was back. "The man's a natural with accouterments…"

"Spread out. On your backs. I want to see you float. Straight lines." Professor Wisdom paced along the side of the pool, his hands clasped lightly behind his back, the sun glinting off skin slicked by his sunscreen.

"I don't think the way he meant that is the way my mind received it," Jana said as she flipped onto her back and began floating towards the opposite end of the pool.

"Gentility ladies! You're not elephants at a watering hole."

All three friends choked on some water as they stifled their laughter. He was on his best form. They practiced freestyle in relay teams and finally he called, "breaststroke".

"My body is ready," Jana muttered.

"Dirty. My mind is depraved and I need therapy. He says anything and it sounds like some dark, delicious-"

"Miss Spores, what are you doing?" Naz's words were cut short when Professor Wisdom frowned at Kim.

"Breaststroke," Kim replied, straightening at the shallow end and wiping the water from her face.

"Definitely a stroke, Miss Spores, but not of the breast variety." A ripple of choked laughter rose but was instantly silenced by his cool gaze. "Anyone care to demonstrate?" Silence. "Very well then…"

Without warning, he removed his sunglasses and jumped into the pool. There were a few wild shrieks from the ladies in the pool – more like bewildered excitement. When he emerged from the water, he quickly shook his head, his greying hair standing on end. There was no man – ever – who looked more attractive in that moment.

Sue physically gripped the end of the pool behind her. Her lips were moving again, her throat constricting painfully with her ability to swallow only lungful's of air.

"Miss Spores, if you please..?" Kim waded closer, her cheeks rosy but her eagerness unmistakable. He stretched out his arms and signaled for her to lie across them. His arms held her up. The swimmers gathered around, forming a semi-circle around the now wet Professor.

"Jesus fu-"

"Jana!" Naz and Sue whispered simultaneously.

"How do I listen to a damned thing when his hair is standing at those sexy angles?" she moaned.

"The breaststroke starts with the swimmer lying in the water face down, arms extended straight forward and legs extended straight to the back." Kim lay across the Professor's forearms, her legs and arms extended. "There are three steps to the arm movement - outsweep, insweep, and recovery."

"Nope. Still sounding dirty," Naz said as she side-eyed her companions.

"His arms are right under her boobs!" Sue said, scandalized.

"Lucky boobs," Jana smirked.

"The leg movement, colloquially known as the "frog kick" or "whip kick", consists of two phases - bringing the feet into position for the thrust phase and the insweep phase."

Naz choked, exasperated. "The _thrust_ phase? How is this a swimming instruction? Its porn!"

Kim was beaming, aglow at being suspended across the Professor's arms. Twenty minutes later, the lesson was over. The three hung back and watched Professor Wisdom shrug back into his t-shirt and leave the pool area. All three sighed at the same time.

"Poetry Professor or Baywatch Babe?" Jana asked.

Sue was the first to respond. "Poetry Professor. Honestly, wet Professor Wisdom is too much, even for me."

"Naz?" Jana queried.

"Both versions seem to inspire one thing with me."

"What? _Lust_?" Jana laughed out loud.

Naz ignored her, trying to control her own smile. "By the way, anyone notice the mole above his left shoulder blade?"

"Oh my god! I thought I was the only one!" Jana shrieked in excitement. They laughed. Eventually, she probed again, "so?"

Naz thought for a moment then grinned. Together, she and Jana shouted, "Baywatch Professor!"


	3. The Cookie

_The Cookie_

The trio sat in the afternoon sun, enjoying the heated rays during lunch on campus. Sue sat on the grass, her legs tucked neatly beneath her, a copy of  _The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook_  open on her lap. Jana was sprawled against a tree, one headphone in her ear as she devoured her lunch and occasionally hummed along to  _Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise_. Naz sat beside them on a stone bench, readjusting her sunglasses, she turned her face up towards the sun as she bit into a red apple.

"Hi!"

Naz turned and saw a pretty blonde walk over to their location. "Jules!" The young woman raised her hand in greeting to Sue and Jana. "Guys, you remember Julia? She's in my French class."

Sue smiled a greeting and Jana called out, "Hiya Jules!" in that familiar, welcoming way, despite never seeing the girl before. "Join us."

Jules sat down beside Naz on the bench and sighed. "This weather is amazing."

"Tell me about it. I could sleep where I lay," Jana said, stifling a yawn.

"How's your revision coming for the French exam?" Naz asked, taking another bite of her apple.

"Badly," Jules said. "If I don't start focusing, Professor Head is going to have me for breakfast."

"From what I hear, that wouldn't be such a bad thing," Sue said. "He's handsome." She reached beside her and offered a cookie from her ziplock to Jules. "It's chocolate chip.

Jana snorted. "Professor Head? Too old. Keep me a cookie, will you Sue?"

"OLD?!" Naz and Jules said at the same time.

Jana waved her hand dismissively. "It's just cos he speaks in flowery french that you're all  _gah_."

"Have you even  _heard_  his flowery french?" Sue pressed, sounding a little outraged as she nibbled on her own cookie. "He's such a gentleman, so refined."

"I would agree with that," Jules said, the blonde hair that barely reached her shoulders bobbing enthusiastically in agreement. "He's-"

Jana had her sandwich halfway to her mouth when all motion stopped, a low half laugh, half moan emanating from her, stopping Jules from finishing her thought. All three ladies looked at Jana with frowns. Her hands were waving distractedly to shush them, her fingers knotting in the cords of the headphones dangling from her ears. "Is that…?"

Naz's gaze followed hers and her apple bounced out of her hand, knocking her knee painfully before it rolled silently across the grassy verge. "Oh dear god it is," she said, her hand rubbing her leg. This had become Naz's go-to response whenever a  _certain_  Professor was on radar.

"Just...  _damn_." Sue was slightly more prepared than her friends, placing her book on the grass beside her, the bag of cookies in her lap.

"Did anyone know about this?!" Jana demanded.

"That our hot academic piece of ass runs during lunch? Do you think I would hold back this kind of information?" Naz retorted. Jules covered her mouth and giggled at  _hot academic piece of ass._

Across from their perch, Professor Tom Wisdom was jogging around the track. He was unmistakable, especially since they had already carefully studied his build and mannerisms during an entire semester. Keeping pace beside him was Professor Head, the man they had just been discussing, and the University's soccer trainer, Coach Kirkwood.

"It's like an all-you-can-eat buffet," Jana breathed, her sandwich all but forgotten.

"Tell me again that Professor Head isn't attractive?" Jules said. " _Look_  at him." She sighed wistfully. His hair was completely white, but other than that, he didn't look close to the age of 60. His muscles gently rippled as he ran.

Sue bit into her cookie, crumbs falling where they may and huffed. "They make running around in 90 degree weather look effortless."

"Totes," Naz concurred, spotting her renegade lunch. "Professor Wisdom owes me lunch. My apple's in the gutter."

"Much like my mind right now," Jana smirked. The foursome laughed out loud. "You know," she continued, her eyes narrowing, "Those shorts could be shorter."

"They're definitely tight enough," Sue observed. "There's some… assets on display."

Jules chuckled at that. "Coach Kirkwood's should be called hot bod. He is built like a house."

"Oh, I noticed," Jana smirked.

Naz rolled her eyes. "Of course you did. Nothing escapes you. Maybe we should take up running. We could bump into them... Ask for some advice on a training regime?"

Jana snorted. "Too transparent, Naz. Look at the bleachers! None of those girls over there have any interest in sport! You'd think they were on safari by the number of binoculars I can count from here. Dammit, they have the best seats!"

"Professor Wisdom's hair looks wet - sweat slicked."

"Hella hot. Look at how those greys are standing at angles…" Jana groaned. "Oh stop, Sue."

"And Professor Head's vest exposes everything we've ever wondered about the actual shape of his torso," Naz said to Jules undeterred. "Looks pretttty solid to me – for an  _old_  man," she said with a wicked grin.

"Alright, alright! I concede. For an old man, he's got sizzle!" The three runners stopped by their gear and Professor Wisdom began toweling his face and arms. "I would volunteer to be that piece of absorbent fabric," Jana said.

"Stand in line Eoll," Naz countered, removing her sunglasses to get a better view. "Oh no. WHAT DOES HE THINK HE'S DOING?!" They watched as he stripped out of his sweat soaked t-shirt and briskly dried himself. "Surely this is indecent?" she said, mockingly outraged.

"You complaining?" Jana used her hands to signal something Naz assumed meant "side-eye". She wouldn't move her eyes from him long enough to actually give her one.

"Hell no."

"Thought so."

"Incoming," Sue said. They watched as two brunettes sauntered into view, their slight figures outlined scandalously.

"Since when is Kim into running?" Jana snorted. "And in lumo pink?"

"Apparently since Professor Wisdom is?" Naz responded. They watched as their classmate Kim Spores jogged toward the trio and hunched over, palms to her knees, dressed in what could only be termed as stylishly impractical exercise wear. Her friend, similarly attired, her dark ponytail swaying, began stretching – the kind of exercises where boobs protruded this way and butts the other. "Who's the girl with her?"

"Jenn Jacheson. Freshman. And urm... Kim aint here for our  _hot academic piece of ass_."

"WHAT IS SHE DOING?!" They watched her sidle up to Coach Kirkwood and because of distance, they were not privy to their conversation. Next thing they knew, Kim lay flat on her back and the Coach was helping her stretch her hamstrings.

"Coach Kirkwood!" Sue said scandalised. "So hands on." She was now absentmindedly nibbling on another cookie.

Kim lay on her back, her left leg raised from the ground, her knee kept straight. Beside her, the Coach pushed her leg forward, leaning into the stretch.

"I feel dirty," whispered Jules beside Naz. Her eyes were as riveted as theirs. "Jenn sure is giving Professor Wisdom an eyeful." The freshman was practically doing yoga aimed directly at the stoic Professor.

"She's got balls, I'll give her that," laughed Jana. Another couple of minutes passed before the duo flashed parting smiles at the Coach before taking off down the track once more. Then Jana gasped, turning away, turning back, looking everywhere but in the oncoming direction. "The Professors are heading this way, they're heading this way! Keep calm, keep calm!"

"Jana, shrieking like a banshee isn't keeping calm," Sue said deadpan.

"Suck it Sue. Omgomgomgomg."

"JANA!" Naz hissed in an effort to curb her friend. But when she glanced up, she sputtered. "ALL THREE OF THEM!"

Professor Wisdom, Coach Kirkwood and Professor Head strode closer. The men were talking, still too far off for them to hear what they were saying. Around Professor Widsom's neck was his small towel and Coach Kirkwood chugged down water from his bottle. It was the most words they had ever seen Professor Wisdom say to others when he wasn't lecturing. In fact, he seemed to be  _enjoying_  their company. They watched fascinated as a slow, easy smile spread across his face, showing the full effect of his smile.

All four women gawked. "No way! Tell me they did not just coax a frikken smile from him!" Naz hissed from the side of her mouth.

"He smiled." Sue said, her words followed by the crunch of another cookie.

"Oh dear God," Naz added. The lower half of his face had slight scruff, like he hadn't shaved in a day or two. Around the corners of his mouth, lines radiated outwards, indicating that perhaps he did smile often – but maybe only in private.

"Glorioussssss," Jules concurred with a long sigh.

"Word." Jana exhaled loudly.

As the men neared, Professor Head looked over at his students and nodded, a small smile on his lips. Then he did the unthinkable, he  _stopped_.

"Naazneen, Julia, enjoying the afternoon sun?" Professor Head was also British and his accent, although similar to Professor Wisdom's, was more refined but contained none of his colleague's haughtiness. His eyes were smiling and kind. Beside him, Coach Kirkwood, his piercing blue gaze trained on them, smiled too, making them all squirm under its intensity. Professor Wisdom's head barely dipped in their general direction, his hands behind his back the minute he came to a standstill.

There was an awkward silence before Jules realised they had not actually responded to the greeting. "Urm yes, cramming for that French exam." She sounded shy. But then it wasn't every day she was confronted with her sweaty, hot French Professor in shorts.

"Très bien," he said. They might have figuratively swooned.  _Flowery french_  indeed.

"Cookie anyone?" Sue said suddenly. All eyes went to Sue, her friends' eyes bulging. If she looked Jana's way, she would have seen a serious look of WTF. In this case, she was lucky; all eyes went to the ziplock packet with three remaining cookies. Professor Head smiled politely, declining, and Coach Kirkwood shook his head.

"I would like one, thank you,"  _that_  voice said. Shivers down all their spines.

"Excuse me?" Sue asked, blinking a few times. Her brain felt sluggish, like it had to work twice as hard to comprehend.

"A cookie," Professor Wisdom clarified, his eyes flicking to her outstretched hand. "I would like one. Please," he added, inclining his head politely.

"You  _like_  cookies?" The words tumbled unbidden from Jana's lips. Her tone was one of disbelief. She might as well have been asking whether he ate unicorns as an entree. She squirmed when his blue/green/grey gaze found her.

"Oh yes."

Collectively, they gulped, then bit their lips, then tried to remember their place. On autopilot, Sue extended the packet and he accepted one, biting into it almost immediately. "Delicious," he said. His eyes went to the book beside her. "You like tea?"

"Yes," Sue squeaked out, reaching for and then clutching  _The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook_ to her chest.

"Its a good book," was all he added. He sounded  _amused_. Figurative swooning was happening again. The gentlemen moved on and Professor Wisdom did the extraordinary. He winked  _and then_  smiled.

"He smiled! ABORT MISSION. ABORT MISSION," Jana shrieked when they were out of earshot.

Jules yelped. "Professor Head is  _soooo_  nice. What a gentleman!"

"Anyone notice Coach Kirkwood's eyes before? Yikes!" Naz said. "What was up with that wink though?! SWOON"

"Word. Ovaries exploded," Jana concurred before saying, "You gave him my cookie. That was my cookie. HE ATE MY COOKIE."

Sue grinned. "True. You have a problem with that?"

Jana winked. "Not at all." Then she rubbed her hands together in the way that meant she was up to no good. "Right," she said. "Soooo, when do we begin our running regime?"

"I don't run," said Jules.

"Of course you do," Jana said with a naughty grin. "For science."


End file.
